NC schools still without $130million of DOE funding, AG Jackson pushing for faster lawsuit resolution

GASTONIA, NC — The Dream Center Academy can continue giving students a place to learn during the summer.

Not long ago, the Dream Center was living a nightmare when the Trump Administration froze $7billion in public education funding.

“When the Department of Education froze those funds on June 30th, it threatened the opportunity for students like the ones here at the Dream Center,” said Eric Davis.

Davis leads the North Carolina Board of Education. He says the Dream Center is just one example of the benefits of public funding.

“Every school across our state urban and rural, large or small, across every economic and demographic group benefits from these funds,” explained Davis.

About $30 million of federal funding that supports North Carolina after school programs like the Dream Center were unfrozen last week after a lawsuit was filed against the Department of Education. Attorney General Jeff Jackson is 1 of 25 attorneys general
in the lawsuit.

“This last minute maneuver has injected a ton of chaos into public schools across the state, affecting every single school district in the entire state. We need this to be resolved by the court before the school opens,” said Jackson.

Jackson said he is pushing for the courts to make a decision before the school year begins as districts are now forced to create a budget without the money they were promised.

On Tuesday, CMS released a temporary budget that will be missing $12.5 million in federal funding.

They plan to use “carryover funds from last year by placing a freeze on spending” and cutting external contracts, services and vacant positions.